Support H.R. 1897 - National Parks carry

Just received this from VCDL. Please help by emailing your congressman!
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
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A few months ago pro-gun Congressman Ron Paul (TX-14) introduced a
bill that would prohibit any regulation barring carry in National
Parks!

The bill number is HR. 1897, the National Park Second Amendment
Restoration and Personal Protection Act of 2007.

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ACTION ITEM

Currently there is only one cosponsor of the bill :-(

That cosponsor is none other than Virgil Goode, Jr. of Virginia (R-5)!

We need to get the word out so we can get a lot of cosponsors on this
bill.

If your Congressman is Virgil Goode, contact him and thank him for
signing on to HR. 1897.

If your Congressman is NOT Virgil Goode, then you can contact them by
clicking here:

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Suggested message:

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I urge you to cosponsor and help move Congressman Ron Paul's bill HR.
1897!

HR. 1897 will allow law-abiding gun owners to be able to carry a
handgun for self-defense in a National Park.

The Department of the Interior has refused to seriously consider
changing their current regulations to allow citizens the right to
self-defense, even though crime is on the rise in National Parks.

Congress needs to act to protect the lives of innocent citizens.

Please let me know what you are going to do.

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The wording of the bill can be seen by clicking here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.1897:

National Park Second Amendment Restoration and Personal Protection
Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)

HR 1897 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1897

To protect the second amendment rights of individuals to carry
firearms in units of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 17, 2007

Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To protect the second amendment rights of individuals to carry
firearms in units of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `National Park Second Amendment
Restoration and Personal Protection Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) the second amendment to the Constitution provides
that `the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed';

(2) section 2.4(a)(1) of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, provides that `except as otherwise provided in this
section and parts 7 (special regulations) and 13 (Alaska
regulations), the following are prohibited: (i) Possessing a weapon,
trap or net (ii) Carrying a weapon, trap or net (iii) Using a weapon,
trap or net';

(3) the regulations described in paragraph (2) prevent
individuals complying with Federal and State laws from exercising the
second amendment rights of the individuals while at units of the
National Park System;

(4) the existence of different laws relating to the
transportation and possession of firearms at different units of the
National Park System entraps law-abiding gun owners while at units of
the National Park System; and

(5) the Federal laws should make it clear that the second
amendment rights of an individual at a unit of the National Park
System should not be infringed.

SEC. 3. FIREARMS IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

No Federal regulation shall restrict any individual from
possessing or carrying a firearm if that restriction is based in
whole or in part upon the fact that the individual is in a unit of
the National Park System.

I live and vote in Harrisburg, and am now attending law school in Philadelphia; I write to urge you to cosponsor (and help move!) Congressman Ron Paul's bill HR. 1897, which would allow law-abiding gun owners to be able to carry a handgun for self-defense in a National Park.

I've hiked, camped, and explored in several National Parks all over the country (Massachusetts, Texas, Washington, Tennessee, Colorado, and elsewhere), and my mother is hiking bit-by-bit the Appalachian trail.

The Department of the Interior has refused to seriously consider changing their current regulations to allow citizens the right to
self-defense. I have heard claims that crime is on the rise in National Parks, but whether it's on the rise, waning, or staying exactly the same, the right of citizens on Federal property to defend themselves is apparent.

Congress needs to act to protect the lives of innocent citizens.

Please let me know what you are going to do.

Cordially,

[my name]

30 cal slob

July 30, 2007, 03:12 PM

anyone know if national seashores are covered by this proposed legislation?

letters being sent...

Upriver

July 30, 2007, 03:26 PM

Done.

(Sent to Rick Larsen, District 2, WA).

Yes, this legislation would cover all lands administered by the NPS, including National Parks, Seashores, National Recreation Areas, Historic Parks, Battlefields, etc, etc, etc.

patentmike

July 31, 2007, 07:28 PM

National Park Second Amendment Restoration and Personal Protection Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)

HR 1897 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1897

To protect the second amendment rights of individuals to carry firearms in units of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 17, 2007

Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To protect the second amendment rights of individuals to carry firearms in units of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `National Park Second Amendment Restoration and Personal Protection Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) the second amendment to the Constitution provides that `the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed';

(2) section 2.4(a)(1) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, provides that `except as otherwise provided in this section and parts 7 (special regulations) and 13 (Alaska regulations), the following are prohibited: (i) Possessing a weapon, trap or net (ii) Carrying a weapon, trap or net (iii) Using a weapon, trap or net';

(3) the regulations described in paragraph (2) prevent individuals complying with Federal and State laws from exercising the second amendment rights of the individuals while at units of the National Park System;

(4) the existence of different laws relating to the transportation and possession of firearms at different units of the National Park System entraps law-abiding gun owners while at units of the National Park System; and

(5) the Federal laws should make it clear that the second amendment rights of an individual at a unit of the National Park System should not be infringed.

SEC. 3. FIREARMS IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.

No Federal regulation shall restrict any individual from possessing or carrying a firearm if that restriction is based in whole or in part upon the fact that the individual is in a unit of the National Park System.

Short and to the point. Good Bill.

R127

August 2, 2007, 04:13 PM

I sent my letter. Let's hope we have a few representatives out there who will man-up and get behind this bill. We've got something similar for our state parks here in Florida, works great!

scubie02

August 2, 2007, 05:36 PM

wait, battlefields and the Appalachian trail are considered "parks" and firearms are prohibited? The Appalachian trail wanders up half the east coast doesn't it!? Thats nuts. And someplace like Gettysburg? Unreal. If they are going to prohibit legally licensed people from carrying, then they should become legally liable if something happens to them.

ZeSpectre

August 2, 2007, 05:47 PM

I'm in. Borrowed the excellent boilerplate from above and wrote the congresscritter(s) an email. Making a second copy to send via snailmail

Matt King

August 2, 2007, 06:05 PM

Just wrote my rep. (With thanks to yhtomit)

Juna

August 2, 2007, 08:04 PM

Done. My rep is a good guy who also supported keeping the Tiahrt Amendment. He is rated "A" by the NRA. Wish I could say the same for my "F-" senators.

mljdeckard

August 2, 2007, 10:10 PM

I grew up nestled between national parks, and I saw rangers and other personnel look the other way when we traversed the territory, but I doubt I would get that treatment now.

Of course I like the legislation, and my reps will support it IF, (this leads to the question) it is ever on the floor to vote.

I am worried that it will be A: used as a bargaining chip for another issue, or more likely B: No one but people like us will ever hear of it.

arthurcw

August 3, 2007, 05:12 PM

Hits Away!

Used the boilerplate as well. *tips hat to yhtomit*

I made only a small change:

Congress needs to act now and allow innocent citizens to protect their lives.

Thought that put the right responsibilities on the right parties. My Congresscritter is pretty good (Culberson R-TX). But I don't want any of those guys thinking they need to protect me. They do enough of that already!

frankcostanza

August 3, 2007, 06:17 PM

sent my letter

LAR-15

August 7, 2007, 10:44 PM

If The Property Is Managed By The National Park Service It Is Covered By This Bill.

Kentucky

August 8, 2007, 05:49 PM

My representative's reply.

Thank you for sharing your support for H.R. 1897, the
National Park Second Amendment Restoration and Personal
Protection Act. Hearing from you helps me better represent
Middle Tennessee.

I understand your concern that currently a law-abiding
citizen cannot carry a gun in national parks to protect himself and
his family from danger. H.R. 1897 would permit law-abiding gun
owners to carry firearms in national parks.

Like you, I am convinced that the Constitution protects
the individual right of every law-abiding citizen to bear arms. I
have always believed that we as a nation need to concentrate our
crime fighting efforts on the true problem -- the criminals -- and
not infringe on the Constitutional right of all Americans to protect
themselves and their families. That is why I do what I can to fight
crime while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens,
sportsmen and hunters.

H.R. 1897 is currently pending in the House Committee on
Natural Resources. I will support it when it is brought to the
House floor for a vote.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If I may ever be of
service to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Stay in touch,
/s
BART GORDON
Member of Congress

JKimball

August 8, 2007, 05:52 PM

Thanks for the heads up on this one. I just sent my rep a quick note on it. He's rated A+ by the NRA, so he better get behind it.